Car-coupling



(No Model'.)

B. E. FRANTZ.

GAR COUPLING. No. 262,659. Patented Aug.-15, 1882..

UNITED STATES ATENT Price.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,659, dated August15, 1882,

Application filed March 25,1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown thatI, EZRAE. FRANTZ, acitizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at North Manchester, in the county of WVabash andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car couplers; and theobject-s ofmy invention are, first, to provide a self-coupler; second, to furnish acar-coupler so constructed and arranged that it will nnconple itself bythe turning over of one car down an embankment or otherwise third, toprovide a car-coupler which can be readily uncoupled from the top orotherwise without going between the cars, and can be attached to any carthe same as any ordinary coupler. I attain these objects by theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the parts as illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view,showing the cars coupled. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, showing the mannerof uncoupling in case of overturning. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of thecatch. Fig. 4 is a view showing the shape and construction of thecoupling-bar.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings, A represents draw-head of a car, made in the ordinaryway of a common draw-head, with the exception of being provided with myimprovements, as hereinafter described. On the top of the draw-head,back of the bumper, the draw-head is provided with the removable plateor lid B, which is provided with a slot or slit, b, in which the lever Ohas play or moves. B is secured to the draw-head by screws or in anyappropriate manner. The inside of the draw-head, back of the bumper, isgrooved or cutout so that the catch D can move up and down freelytherein; or the inside of the draw-head is made with sutiicient spacefor the same purpose.

D is what I call the catch, which holds the coupling-pin 11 fast andkeeps the cars coupled together. D is made in the manner as shown inFig. 3, having its lower inside end face rounded or beveled and hingedat its other end on the journal or rod (1, so that it will swing up anddown freely when not held in (No model.)

position by the spring S. Connected orsecured to the top of the catch Dis a handle or lever, G, which projects up through the slot or slit b,moving backward and forward in said slot when operated upon. A rope,rod, or chain can be attached to the end of O and carried to the top ofthe car, so that it can be operated by the brakcman on the top of thecar; or the rope or chain may be passed over a pulley and run to theside, so that the lever O can be moved by the brakeman at the side ofthe car, and in either case uncoupling the cars without the brakeman orparty going between the cars.

S is a spiral spring around the lever O, and resting on the top surfaceof the catch D, and bearing against the under surface of the plate orlid 13. Having thus a bearing on D and against B, it will keep the catchD pressed down and keep the cars coupled, and being around the lever C,it will keep it pressed back until 0 is moved by being pulled from topor otherwise, and the car is uncoupled.

H is what I call mylcouplin g pin or bar. Itis provided at each end withthe beveled head h, as shown in Fig. 4, the bevel being from top down tothe end, and is essential for the purposes of my invention. H may bestraight or bent, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to be suitable for couplingcars having draw-heads of diti'erent heights.

On the top of plate B and around the lever O is a loose plate, 19, forthe purpose of covering the slot b to keep out the dirt, snow, and rainfrom the inside of the chamber of the draw-head, thereby insuring theoperation of the several parts.

All of the several parts are made of iron, except the spring, which is aspiral spring.

The operation is as follows: The cars being provided with myimprovements, when it is desired to couple, the cars being backedtogether, the coupling-bar H will enter the drawhead, the end or head hwill push against the catch D, forcing it up until the head h passesbeyond D, when D will fall against the shank of h and the cars will becoupled, the spring S forcing the catchD back to its normal position. Touncouple the cars, the brakeman on the top or at the side pulls on therope or chain connected to lever G, which will move it forward in theslot 1), at the same time raising the catch D, and thereby releasing thecoupling-bar H and uncoupling the cars.

In case one car should be thrown from the track and turn over or falldown an embankment it will not drag the other car with it, but it willbe uncoupled from the other car by its overturning. The construction ofthe coupling-bar H with its beveled head is such that when the bar isturned the beveled portion presses up against the catch 1 it also beingbeveled, forcing up the catch and thereby uncoupling the cars.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

EZRA E. FRANTZ.

Witnesses B. F. BRoWER, JOSEPH B. HARTER.

